Truth Or Dare
by MorgauseNokami
Summary: This is an exceptionally bad idea. Probably. But Sarah can't seem to forget the Goblin King, and she resolves to seduce him the only way she can think of: with a game.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: me no ownie.

_**Chapter 1**_

Sarah stood in front of the mirror and _seriously_ doubted her plan.

To bide her time, she leaned forward to study the freckles on her nose. She made a face and breathed in deeply, willing the color on her cheeks to disappear.

This was an exceptionally bad idea.

Probably.

But it had been ten years to the day, and try as she might, she had not been able to forget his words. Or his pants. Or the look in his eyes. She wasn't sure which of those three had made the biggest impression on her, but considering her age, it was probably the pants. Or maybe, just maybe, the look.

During those years she had got her first boyfriend, graduated, gone to college, got her first _serious_ boyfriend, and her second, graduated college, found her first job, her second and her third, all the while keeping in touch with her friends from the Labyrinth – and managing to keep those particular relationships (and the tendency of things to become misplaced in her vicinity) a secret from the people around her. But she had never been back to the Labyrinth, and she had never seen him again.

Despite that fact, she couldn't help thinking of him on a regular basis. What she could help was the starring role he played in many of her more interesting dreams and at least half of her fantasies. Fortunately, she felt not the least bit guilty of what her active imagination conjured up, and relished in finding out precisely what sorts of magic he was capable of, if only in her daydreams.

When she realized that she was thinking of leather gloves and mismatched eyes even when sleeping with her latest boyfriend, she decided that enough was enough. She dumped the boyfriend (not a keeper anyway) and started to think up a plan to seduce the Goblin King.

That wasn't easy in the least. Because aside the fact that he was a trickster fairytale king and thus pretty much impossible to outsmart, she simply didn't know whether or not he even found her attractive. The way he had looked at her, the offers he had made her… had he meant it, or had his behavior simply been a ploy to keep her from getting to the castle in time? He was a powerful, handsome fae after all, who might not be the least bit tempted by human girls - what with their tendency to wither and die in the blink of an eye.

She couldn't outright seduce him, that much was obvious. Or well, maybe she could, but the uncertainty was enough to put her off that idea. No, she had decided, what she needed was to spend time with him, to find out if she even stood a chance, to figure out how she should go about the whole seducing a fae thing.

Getting him to spend time with her, that should be doable. Jareth might be a trickster king, but she was the one who bested his Labyrinth, and she was certain she could trick him into playing another game with her. Especially if her goal wasn't winning.

So yes, she had a plan. It just happened to be, in all likelihood, an exceptionally _bad_ plan.

She breathed in deeply again, and stared her reflection down. "I wish the Goblin King was here, right now."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

Nothing happened.

Sarah narrowed her eyes at her reflection. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but in most of her daydreams, it had involved a flash of thunder and billowing curtains, possibly a barn owl, and definitely a generous dusting of glitter. She hadn't expected _nothing_ to happen. Nothing never happened to her, whether she wanted it to or not. From saving kittens and baby ducks to dramatic love triangles to getting robbed in the mall to fantasy adventures to starring in her second favorite play to sockstealing goblin visitors - she was the girl to whom things happened. She had been, ever since those particular ten hours. She wasn't sure if it was a gift or a curse, but at least her life was never boring.

Well, up until the last fifteen minutes, that is. She scowled at herself and tried again. "I wish the Goblin King would come and talk to me, right now."

Nothing.

For a moment, she thought she heard the chattering of goblins from under her bed, but when she twirled around, they weren't there. She turned back to the mirror, still glaring, and put her hand on the glass. Say your right words. "Jareth, I need you."

It might be the most embarrassing thing she had ever said out loud. Well, after saying "Yes!" when the most popular boy of the class asked her "Do you want to date me?" in sixth grade, after which he replied: "Well, I don't want to date you!" and his whole group of friends barked with laughter. That was worse, but only because there was no sign of Jareth or his friends right now (if he had any). However, even the sacrifice of her dignity was not enough to make said Goblin King appear.

She shot her reflection a last withering glare and walked to her bed, to drop down and sulk properly.

oxoxo

When Sarah woke up the next morning, she was still a bit peeved. Glancing at her mirror, she considered contacting her friends instead, but eventually decided against it. Hoggle still really didn't like his monarch and he was definitely not going to check up on the frightful king for her. Sir Didymus was loyal as always, he just didn't know whether to be loyal to Jareth or to her. And Ludo was kind, strong, and the worst spy in the world. Plus, all three of them would want to know _why_ she was suddenly so interested in their king, which was a question she really didn't want to answer. Talking to them about sex was about as bad as discussing the subject with her parents. Talking to them about potential sex with the Goblin King was akin to.. to… she couldn't even think of an example that was taboo enough. They would valiantly defend her against his advances, not help her with _hers_.

No, contacting her friends was not going to be useful in this particular tight spot. She scrunched her nose, sighed and got up. Unto other things. She had purposely left her weekend unplanned – which, in retrospect, might have been a little bit hopeful on her part. Maybe she should visit her parents today, spend some time with her little brother, take him out to a ball game or something. Bring the puppy that Karen got them after Merlin had died.

Cheered by the prospect, she jumped out of bed and wriggled out of the t-shirt she was wearing, simultaneously trying to tie her hair back with a rubber band from her nightstand. The whole thing didn't end up particularly well; with an annoyed huff she pulled the t-shirt over her head, threw it in the general direction of the bed, and then set to untying the rubber band from the tangles of her dark hair, muttering various threats to it that included terms like "chopping" and "shaving".

"One might assume you need my help undressing," a dry but sensuous voice remarked behind her.

Sarah couldn't help an undignified squawk escaping her mouth, though honestly, what else had she expected? Of course he had heard that pathetic attempt at an invitation. And of course he had waited to come until she was at her most vulnerable. At least he hadn't brought any friends.

…she _hoped_ he hadn't brought any friends.

Steeling her gaze, she slowly breathed in and turned around, not bothering to cover herself up. The Goblin King was standing in her doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked rather less threatening than the last time he had entered her room, although he wore the same black armor and cape. His strange eyebrows were high, though, his eyes wide and glittering. So had expected her to make a dash for her t-shirt, had he? She felt a smirk tug at her lips, trying her very hardest not to blush at all.

"Or perhaps Sarah Williams has another need for a Goblin King..?" he said, voice distinctively lower, a seductive smile curving around his lips.

She considered him carefully. Perhaps she wouldn't need to go through any trouble to satiate her curiosity? But no, it was just the ballroom trick all over again, albeit a bit more adult. Seduction of this kind seemed second nature to the Goblin King and more likely than not it was as deceptive as the peach dream had been.

"Really, Sarah. Lost your voice, after you called for me so… _eloquently_ last night?"

God, his voice was just as dark and tempting as ever, his words just as provoking.

"Really, Goblin King," she mimicked him, crossing her arms underneath her breasts, well aware of the attention that her posture drew to that particular part of her anatomy. "I was just surprised at your remarkably… _uninspiring_ entrance."

His mismatched eyes darkened and he sauntered towards her, circling her so close that she could feel his cape flap against her ankles. She didn't budge, trying very hard to not be distracted by his proximity to her naked skin. There would be time enough for that later, she hoped. After she had tricked him.

"Well then, what would you have of me, Sarah?" he asked, words short and clipped. "You asked for me. I came."

"You have been so generous up until now," she muttered.

He bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. "But I can be cruel." He stopped in front of her, too close for comfort, just close enough for her to catch a whiff of ozone and spice – a scent she recognized all too well from an encounter in a tunnel ten years ago, an encounter that had awoken her femininity more than a song and a dance had done.

"Well?" he demanded again.

Sarah raised her chin. "I want an answer, Goblin King," she said clearly.

He raised an eyebrow and gestured eloquently with his gloved hands.

"What certain powers?" she asked.

His eyes widened, and he threw his head back and laughed. "Now?" he asked when he was done, crossing his arms again. "You ask me this now? Why?" She could not discern if he was indignant or actually curious.

She sniffed. "That is so not the point."

He smiled a slow, pointy smile. "And you haven't found out yourself, yet?"

Ouch, sore point. After she had gotten past her inner discussion about whether or not her adventure had been a dream (the outcome coinciding with the first appearance of goblins in her sock drawer), she had tried for a long time to figure out what certain powers the Goblin King could have given her. It had taken longer than she would admit before she conceded that it hadn't been conjuring crystals, or contact juggling for that matter. Neither had it been anything as interesting as shapeshifting, reordering time or teleportation. She had her guesses, of course – it could be the fact that she could still call on her friends, it could be the goblins that followed her around wherever she went, or maybe simply the fact that _something_ always happened to her. Maybe he hadn't given anything to her at all; after all, the story from the book was not word for word the same as her own story. Simple fact was, she didn't know, and she really wouldn't mind figuring out the truth.

"Obviously not," she grudgingly admitted, glaring when his grin widened.

"I gave you certain powers," he said. "I'm not obliged to tell you which."

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want for it?"

He smiled again, a strange mixture of pleased and sardonic. "Sarah Williams, always so to the point." He tapped his chin with a leather-clad finger, letting his gaze glide down her body. "What do I want for that..?" His eyes slowly slid back up to her face.

She tried to suppress a shiver. _Say: "You", _her inner voice cheered him on. "What would you trade for it?" she pressed him.

He shook his head slowly, eyes still locked with hers. "That never works with you. No, I want …a rematch."

Inwardly Sarah did a victory dance, but outwardly she tried to remain as calm as possible. "You want to play me for my answer?" she said, just to make sure.

"Run my maze again," he suggested silkily. "If you reach the castle, I will give you your answer. If you lose, I get them back."

She snorted. "Ha, no way." She cocked her head. "Let's play a human game."

He raised an eyebrow again. "One of your primitive games?"

She grinned. "Yes. I suggest we play 'truth or dare'."

He smirked. "I rather think I can guess to the rules of that game."

"Same terms. Six truths or dares each, no reordering time during any part of the game and we're not allowed to do each other harm," she said shortly.

He seemed to consider her just as carefully as she had him, which felt rather… was it distracting or disturbing? Considering the fact she was still almost naked. She did not dare move, though, waiting for him to take the bait. No doubt he was thinking of all the ways he could use this game against her. Of all the ways he could _win_. The game was too easy; victory too close in reach for him to be able to withstand the temptation, she thought. Hoped.

"When have I won?" he asked.

She snorted again. "You win _if_ I fail to answer a truth or complete a dare. Same goes for you. I wouldn't count on it though; I'm very good at this game."

He smiled again, baring his pointy teeth, and held out his hand for her to shake. "Piece of cake."

Hooked.


End file.
